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# INTRODUCTION: Federal Debt

Treasury securities (i.e., public debt securities) comprise most of the Federal debt, with securities issued by other Federal agencies accounting for the rest. Tables in this section of the “Treasury Bulletin” reflect the total. Further detailed information is published in the “Monthly Statement of the Public Debt of the United States.” Likewise, information on agency securities and on investments of Federal Government accounts in Federal securities is published in the “Monthly Treasury Statement of Receipts and Outlays of the United States Government.”

Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service compiles data in the “Treasury Bulletin” tables FD-2 and FD-6 from the “Monthly Statement of the Public Debt of the United States.”

· Table **FD-1** summarizes the Federal debt by listing public debt and agency securities held by the public, including the Federal Reserve. It also includes debt held by Federal agencies, largely by the Social Security and other Federal retirement trust funds. The net unamortized premium and discount also are listed by total Federal securities, securities held by Government accounts and securities held by the public. The difference between the outstanding face value of the Federal debt and the net unamortized premium and discount is classified as the accrual amount. (For greater detail on holdings of Federal securities by particular classes of investors, see the ownership tables, OFS-1 and OFS-2.)

· Table **FD-2** categorizes by type, that is, marketable and nonmarketable, the total public debt securities outstanding that are held by the public.

· In table **FD-3**, nonmarketable Treasury securities held by U.S. Government accounts are summarized by issues to particular funds within Government. Many of the funds invest in par value special series nonmarketables at interest rates determined by law. Others invest in market-based special Treasury securities whose terms mirror those of marketable securities.

· Table **FD-4** presents interest-bearing securities issued by Government agencies. Federal agency borrowing has declined in recent years, in part because the Federal Financing Bank has provided financing to other Federal agencies. (Federal agency borrowing from Treasury is presented in the “Monthly Treasury Statement of Receipts and Outlays of the United States Government.”)

· Table **FD-5** illustrates the average length of marketable interest-bearing public debt held by private investors and the maturity distribution of that debt.

In March 1971, Congress enacted a limited exception to the amount of bonds with rates greater than 4-1/4 percent that could be held by the public. This permitted Treasury to offer securities maturing in more than 7 years at current market interest rates for the first time since 1965. In March 1976, the definition of a bond was changed to include those securities longer than 10 years to maturity. This exception has expanded since 1971, authorizing Treasury to continue to issue long-term securities. The ceiling on Treasury bonds was repealed on November 10, 1988.

The volume of privately held Treasury marketable securities by maturity class reflects the remaining period to maturity of Treasury bills, notes and bonds. The average length is comprised of an average of remaining periods to maturity, weighted by the amount of each security held by private investors. In other words, computations of average length exclude Government accounts and the FRBs.

· In table **FD-6**, the debt ceiling is compared with the outstanding debt subject to limitation by law. The other debt category includes Federal debt Congress has designated as being subject to the debt ceiling.

· Table **FD-7** details Treasury holdings of securities issued by Government corporations and other agencies. Certain Federal agencies are authorized to borrow money from the Treasury, largely to finance direct loan programs. In addition, agencies such as the Bonneville Power Administration are authorized to borrow from the Treasury to finance capital projects. Treasury, in turn, finances these loans by selling Treasury securities to the public.